Interview conducted by Don Halliwell.
This Thursday, Christmas Eve, on IWTV will be Camp Leapfrog’s Christmas Trios show. I first became aware of a young man named Pancakes last year at a King of Trios weekend. He was not wrestling but he was working behind the scenes. I noticed him because he seemed to always be running around and working hard. I guess it helped that everyone was calling him Pancakes too. Then this past summer I was sitting in a lawn chair in a backyard in Pittsburgh watching MV Young’s PolyAm Cult Party and out comes Pancakes for his first ever match. That match was against The BUNDERTAKER, who will be wresting at Christmas Trios as Hot Dog Starkes, he did not come out the winner, but he was very impressive, especially considering it was his first match. Since then, Pancakes has wrestled on shows for Camp Leapfrog, New South and Pizza Party. I had the chance to ask Pancakes a few questions in anticipation of this week’s Camp Leapfrog show.
Don: I believe that your first match was at The PolyAm Cult Party. That was a very unique show. Can you let us know about that experience and if having your debut match there made it a little less stressful?
Pancakes: Yeah that’s right my debut was at The PolyAm Cult Party in Pittsburgh It came at a weird time when I really didn’t know when or how I would ever get my first match and I felt super lost but then MV Young gave me a shot and I am super grateful for it. It was a super unique show and the fact that Josh Wavra, Xavier Faraday, and Molly McCoy helped make it happen made everything so much better. The show itself was a whole lot of fun and really showcased some unique talent I think that is probably one of the best things about the PolyAm Cult shows is that it really does a good job at showcasing diverse and underrepresented groups.Don: You started your in-ring career during the pandemic, so most of your matches have been in front of no fans or a very small number of fans. Do you think that this has worked as a benefit to you, and what do you think it is going to be like whenever you get in front of that bigger crowd?
Pancakes: I think having to perform in front of little to no fans has both been beneficial and detrimental on one hand there is so much less pressure to go out and perform but on the other hand, I feel like I really need to hone in on how to make crowds react and how to connect with actual live fans rather than trying my best to cater to an at-home audience. I am definitely excited to challenge myself once possible and perform in front of a live crowd but I would be lying if I said the idea of it didn't scare me a little
Don: I see that you have been training at the Worldwide Dojo. Can you tell us what that is like and how it differs from where you had previously trained?
Pancakes: Yeah, the dojo has been an amazing place to train and I am so happy to call it home now, Cheeseburger is an incredible trainer. I think the biggest difference is probably the fact that at the dojo we do a lot more practice matches and working on the fly, and I think that has benefited me greatly in terms of both finding confidence in the ring. Not to mention, outside of the dojo, I have also managed to take a significant amount of classes with Jon Gresham which has been such a huge help to me Gresham has sort of helped me begin to discover sort of who I am and what I can be in the ring and I’m grateful for that.
Don: Camp Leapfrog has been such a different kind of wrestling show with a very diverse cast of characters. Why do you think it works so well and what is it like filming?
Pancakes: Leapfrog has been such a positive experience for me I think it works so well because it is made up of one of the most hard-working and talented groups of people I could imagine not to mention being helmed by Kris Levin and Sam Laterna who are so ridiculously creative and brilliant. Filming them has been a whole lot of fun too they sort of feel like an all-day party and it’s a great way to socially distanced and safely see friends while also making a great show. The shows themself are such a collaborative process Kris is so open to anything and I feel like everyone there just wants to do the best that they can and it is really nice to see. Not to mention it is now home for a lot of us and I am sure most of us wouldn't have it any other way.
Don: You have become a very popular part of Camp Leapfrog, as you seem to connect with the fans watching, why do you think that is?
Pancakes: I am going to be completely honest I have no idea, I just go out there and do everything I can to prove that I belong. I feel like I am surrounded by all these crazy talented people and I just want to prove that I can hang and do the best that I can.
Don: Of course, I have to ask why you are called Pancakes.
Pancakes: It's my birth name it's all I got
Don: Lastly, is there anything that you would like us to know about you, that may surprise us?
Pancakes: I think I have yet to really showcase what I can do technically, I think I have a great background including being taught by guys like Orange Cassidy, Drew Gulak, and Gresham and I have yet to really show that in my matches. Also, don’t forget to watch Camp Leapfrog’s Christmas Trios Live on IWTV Christmas Eve at 8 PM! There are some really cool surprises on that show and it is going to be a lot of fun